Facilitating adhesion between substrate and patterned layer

Abstract

Systems and methods for adhering a substrate to a patterned layer are described. Included are in situ cleaning and conditioning of the substrate, and the application of an adhesion layer between the substrate and the patterned layer, as well as forming an intermediate layer between adhesion materials and the substrate.

1. A method of applying an adhesion layer to a substrate, comprising:
 depositing an intermediate layer onto the substrate; 
 placing the substrate into a process chamber; 
 evacuating the process chamber of gases; 
 injecting a cleaning agent into the process chamber; 
 evacuating the process chamber of the cleaning agent; 
 injecting an adherence material into the process chamber, the adherence material being deposited onto the intermediate layer; 
 delivering water vapor into the process chamber; and 
 evacuating the process chamber of the water, 
 wherein the intermediate layer has a greater direct adhesion to the substrate as compared to direct adhesion of the adherence material to such a substrate, and wherein the adherence material has a greater direct adhesion to the intermediate layer as compared to direct adhesion of the adherence material to such a substrate. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least one of: Tantalum (Ta), Silicon (Si), Silicon Nitride (Si x N y ), Silicon Oxide (SiO x ), Chromium (Cr), Chromium Nitride (CrN x ), Titanium-Tungsten (TiW), Titanium-Chromium (TiCr), and/or Ruthenium (Ru). 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a carbon over coating (CoC) top layer. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning agent is comprised of at least one of ozone, ultraviolet light (UV), or plasma. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an imprint lithography substrate.